Aston Villa did their job when it comes to their UEFA Champions League hopes, breaking through for a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park on Friday.
WATCH — Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur full match replay
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How to watch Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 2:30pm ET Friday
Venue: Villa Park — Aston
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch live online via NBC.com
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur final score: 2-0
Ezri Konsa 59', Boubacar Kamara 73'
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur live updates
Fulltime — Villa 2-0 Spurs
Mission accomplished for Unai Emery’s men.
Spurs make two subs
Son and Reguilon are off for Dominic Solanke and Rodrigo Bentancur. in the 75th minute.
Boubacar Kamara goal — Villa 2-0 Spurs (73rd minute)
That’s a sensational shot.
Rogers lays off to Kamara, who is atop the 18 and cuts in from the right to smash a low shot inside the far post.
Gorgeous.
For Rogers, he’s the seventh player to record 10 or more assists in the Premier League this season.
Ezri Konsa goal — Villa 1-0 Spurs (59th minute)
John McGinn’s back post corner kick is nodded back into the fray from Ollie Watkins, and Konsa redirects it past Kinsky.
Villa have their breakthrough.
Spurs swap midfielders
Yves Bissouma is in for Pape Matar Sarr in the 53rd minute.
Still scoreless.
Konsa and Tel scrap
VAR is having a look at a flashpoint between Villa’s Ezri Konsa and Spurs’ Mathys Tel.
Sergio Reguilon is also looking bemused by something.
It was something with Amadou Onana.
No supplemental discipline coming for any of the above figures.
No changes at the break
Will Villa break down Spurs or find themselves behind the UCL qualification 8-ball?
Halftime — Aston Villa 0-0 Spurs
Kinsky shook off a shaky partial clearance early to be the difference-making player in the half with three saves and six recoveries against Villa’s eight shot attempts and 0.81 xG.
Kinsky saves from Konsa off free kick
Ezra Konsa gets on the end of a free kick with ease, but his header is down at Kinsky.
Villa have been more dangerous but Spurs are much improved from most of their recent Premier League showings.
Big intervention from Kinsky!
Villa sweep a cross between slack Spurs defenders and Morgan Rogers looks en route to an opener.
But Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky makes a great adjustment to slap the ball away from goal.
Spurs corner
Son has been bright and wins a corner for Tottenham with a hard cross from the left.
Martinez rises to collect the South Korean’s ensuing service.
Real chance for Son
Heung-min Son gets around Matty Cash and will to do well to beat Emiliano Martinez.
He doesn’t, and Martinez makes a comfortable save.
Aston Villa lineup
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, McGinn, Kamara, Onana, Asensio, Rogers, Watkins
Tottenham Hotspur lineup
Kinsky, Spence, Danso, Davies, Reguilon, Sarr, Gray, Odobert, Moore, Tel, Son
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur preview
Spurs are looking to next Wednesday’s Europa League Final against Manchester United. That match is far enough away that Ange Postecoglou could play a first-choice team at Villa in order to stay fresh for the final, but the impetus to dominate will be on the other side of the pitch.
Villa Park will be very ready for this one, and Unai Emery’s men have been a lot better than Spurs this season on a week-to-week basis.
Villa sits sixth, behind Chelsea on goal differential, but they also know that the Blues finish with Manchester United and Nottingham Forest and could open the door to a top-five place and a spot in next season’s UCL.
Aston Villa team news, focus
OUT: Jacob Ramsey (suspension), Marcus Rashford (muscular), Youri Tielemans (undisclosed)
Tottenham Hotspur team news, focus
OUT: Timo Werner (thigh), Dejan Kulusevski (knee - MORE), Dane Scarlett (groin), James Maddison (knee), Lucas Bergvall (ankle), Radu Dragusin (torn ACL - out for season)
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur prediction
There are a couple of games like this in Week 37, like the one at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea need a win and Man United face Spurs in the UEL. For that reason it’s so difficult to do anything but pick the team who’s:
been better this season, and
needs the win